Refrigerating apparatus



Patentecl Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES "2.024,290 PATENT OFFICE,

2.024290 REFRIGERA'IING APPABATUS Han-y B. Hall, Dayton, Ohio. assignor, by mesne assignmeuts, to General Motors Corporation, a corporation o! Delaware Applicaton May 28, 1930, Serial No. 456,682

4 Clailns. (Cl. 62-6) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and methods and particularly to that type of apparatus and. metliod. whichmaintain's automatically two zones ai; different temperatures.

An object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for maintaining two or more zones at .different temperatures by means of a closed circulating system containing a volatile refrigerant at the same pressure throughout the closed system and in which the operationof the closed system is controlied in accordance with temperature conditions prevailing in the warmer zone.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the f,ollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wheren a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown'.

In the drawing:

The figure is a view, partly in vertical crosssection, partly in elevation, and partly diagrammatic, of an apparatus embodying features of this invention.

According to this invention, two or more zones may be maintained ai; relatvely lowand relatively higher refrigerating temperatures by cyclicly exposing a volatile refrigerant to a vaporizing action in one of said zones and condening the refrigerant in another of said zones, whiie said refrigerant is maintained throughout at substantially the same pressure, by utilizing temperature conditions in the warmer zone for restrcting the normal flow of refrigerant, or for varying the amount of liquid refrigerant available for cooling said second zone.

Fe atures of this invention may thuS include means for maintaining a first zone 20 at a relatively low temperature and, means 22 for maintaining a second zone 2| at a higher temperature. The means 22 preferably is a closed circulating system, which may contain a volatile refrigerant substantially at the same pressure (neglectlng slighthydrostatic heads) throughout the closed system 22. Means 22 may also include an evaporator 23 adapted to perform the cooling for the zone 2|. The means 22 may also include a. condenser 24 in the first zone 20. A connectlon for the flow of refrigerant' between the evaporator and the condenser may include 9. liquid line 25 and a vapor line 26 sothat refrigerant condensed in the condenser 24 may flow through the line 25 to the evaporator 23 and the refrigerant evap orated in the evaporator 23 may pass as a vapor through the vapor line 26 to the condenser 24.

The normal flow of refrigerant between the condenser 24 and the evaporator 23 may be varied in accordance with temperature condtions in the warmer zone 2|. That is, the flow which normally would take place under temperature conditions prevaling in the apparatus may be varied in order to maintain the desued tempera ture condition in the zone 2|. ampie, means 21 responsive to temperature conditions in the zone 2| may be provided for varying the normal flow 'of refrigerant. Preferably this 5 1 uid refrigerant froxn'the evaporator to flow in the 15 line 25 towards the condenser 24. This varies the amount of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 23 and thus varics the coolng capacity of the evaporator.

A manual adjustment 33 may be provided for 20 varying the setting of the bulb 29 in order that the user may selectively regulat the temperature of the zone 2|.

The zone 20 may be maintained at a relatively low temperature by any suitable means. T hus a 5 float controlied evaporator 34 may be plac ed in thermal eontact with the condenser 24. The evaporator 34 may be refrigerated by any suitable means. 'I'hus 11; may be refrigerated by providing a float valve and outlet fltting 35 of the 30 well-known construction, for instance as shown in the patent to R. G. Osborn, 1,556,708 which expands refrigerant entering from the pipe 36 into the evaporator 34. The expanded refrigerant may pass through the pipe 3'! from the evap- 35 orator 34 to any suitable liquefying means such as a compressor 38 which delivers compressed reirigerant to a condenser 33 discharging into a liquid refrigerant receiver 40. The receiver ,40.

may be donnected by means-01a pipe 3'! with- If the zones 20 and 2| are part of a domestic mechanical reirigerator, it may be desirable to provide means for i'reezing ice cubes or the like. This may be accompllsbed by providing ice cube trays 33 in proper sleeves within the evaporator 34. The zone 2| maybeformedbythelinihgl2, 60

As a specific excornblnatlon, a

whlch forma a 10041 coml artment and is insulated by means of the insulatlon II. The zone 20 may be lnsulated from the zone 2| by means of the loose insulatlon 5|.

In'thls particular embodlment the evaporator 23 is adapted to bemalntalned at a predetermlned temperature by the action 0! the means 21. Thus when the zone 2| is cooled to a predetermlned temperature, the pressure in the thermostatic bulb 29 drops is partly or wholly closed. Any evaporation in excess of that requlredto mantain the predetermned temperature tencls to create an excessive amount 01' vapor in the upper part of the e'vaporato;- 23. 'I'hs forces liqud. refrlgerant through the lnsulated pipe 25 towards the condenser 24. Since the amount 01% llqud refrigerant in the evaporator 23 is thusly reduced the coollng action of the evaporator on the zone 2| ls reduced. On the other band, when the temperature of the zone 2| rlsea, the pressure in the thermostatic bulb 29 also rises so that the valve 21 is opened and permits all of the llquidreffigerant poss ible to flow -into the evaporator 23. 'I'his increases the cooling power of the evaporator to its maximum ca- I pacity at the refrigerant temperature prevailing. Ths actlon' tends to mantaln the average temperature 01 the zone 2| substantlally constant. 'I'hs permts-the inalntenance 91. the food compartment at any desired temperature independently of the temperature prev'ailing in the zone 20.

I Whle the form 0| embodlment of the lnvention as hereln dlsclosed constltutes a prefenzed form, it ls to be understood thai. other forms mght be adopted, al! comlng within the scope of the clalms whlch follow.

What ls clalmed ls as follows:

1. A refrigeratlng apparatus comprising in.

comblnaton, a cablnet havlng a food. storage compartment and a low temperature zone insulated from said compartment, means tor maintalnng said zone al: a subetantlally-uniform low temperature, means tor maintaning said Iood.

storage compartment at a relatively higher substantially unlform temperature, said second named means lncludlng a closed clrculating system coniialnlng a volatile retrlgerant at substantially the same pressure throughout the closed system and having an evaporator in said food storage compartment and a condenser in said low temperature zone. a liquld line between said evaporator and said condenser, a vapor llr'ze between-sald evaporator and said condenser, and means In said vapor line responslve to temperatures varyina from said unlform temperature in said food storage compartment tor throttllng the flow o! refrigerant vaporized in said evaporator to said condenser through said vapor line, said last named means causlng llquid refrlgerant to flow tram said evaporator toward said condenser in said llquld line upon further vaporlzatlon thereot in atld evaporat r.

2. A refrlgeratlng apparatus comprlslng in cabinet having a. food storage compartmeut and a low temperature zone insulated (rom s'ald oompartment, means tor maintalnlng said zone at a substantially unlform low temperature, meana tor malntalnlng sa'.icl 1'ood storage cnt at a relatlveLv hlgher substantlally unll'orm temperalmre, said aeoond named me..na includlng a closed to such a point that the valve 21 tem containing a volatile tefrlgerant al; substantially the same pressure throughout theelosed system and having an evaporator in said Iood storage compartment and a condenser in said low temperature zone, a liquid line between said evaporator and said condenser, a vapor line between said evaporator and said condenser, a valve in sald vapor line tor throttling the flow of refrig-' erant vaporlzed in said evaporator to said condenser through said vapor line, and means for actuating said valve in response to temperatures varying from said unform temperature in said food storage compartment, said valve causing liqud refrigerant to flow from said evaporator toward said condenser in said liquid line upon further vaporization thereof in =said evaporator.

3. A refrigerating appalratus comprising in combination, a cablnet havng a food storage compartment and a low temperature zone insulated from said comp'artment, means for maintainng said zone al; a substantially unifon'n low temperature, means for maintaining said food storage compartment at a -relativel higher substantially unlform temperature, said second namd meansincludng a closed circul'ating system contaim'ng a volatile refrigerant at substantially the same pressure throughout the closed system and l' aving an evaporator in said food. storge compartment and a condenser in said low temperature zone, a liqud line between said evaporator and said condenser, a vapor line between said evaporator and said condenser, means in said vapor line responsive to temperatures varyi.ng fiom said unform temperature in said food storage' compartment for throttling the flow of refrigerant vaporized in said evaporator to said condenser through said vapor line, said. last named means causing liquid refrigerant to flow storage compartment at a. relatlvely higher substantially unlform temperature, said second named means lncludlng a closed circulating system containing a volatile refrlgerant at substantially the same pressure throughout the closed system and havlng an evaporator in said food storage compartment and a condenser in said low temperature zone, a llquid line between said evaporator and said condenser, a vapor line between said evaporator-and said condenser, a valve in said vapor line tor throttllng the flow of refrig-' erant vaporized in said evaporator to said condenser through said vapor line, means tor actuatlng said valve in response to temperatures v 'yina" from said unlform temperature in said food storage compartment, said valve c auslng llquid refrigerant to flow from tovvard said condenser in said further vaporlzation thereof in and manually actua'ted means tor varylng the temperature at whlch said last namedmeans becomes eflectlve to actuate sald valve.

.HARRY B. IIULL.

llquid line upon said evaporator.

said evaporator. 

